Dallas Water-Wise Landscape Tour

Saturday, October 14, 2017 – 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

City of Dallas Water Utilities, City of Dallas Park & Recreation, and the Dallas County Master Gardeners are teaming up to demonstrate the beauty of Water-Wise and EarthKind™ gardening with the 23rd annual Water-Wise Landscape Tour.

This year’s tour is highlighting residential landscapes in Dallas, as well as several school demonstration gardens in Dallas.

On October 14, between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., the first 500 visitors at the tour headquarters will receive a free hose-end spray nozzle. For more information, call the Water Conservation Hotline at 214-670-3155, Monday-Friday 8:15 a.m.-5:15 p.m.
 

Tour Talks/Demonstrations

Dallas County Master Gardeners will have demonstrations and be giving free presentations/demonstrations on WaterWise gardening and related topics at the tour headquarters at the White Rock Pump Station and Scofield Christian School.

Tour Headquarters

White Rock Pump Station, 2900 White Rock Road, Dallas, TX 75214
9:30 a.m. – Landscaping for the 21st Century – Janet D. Smith
10:30 a.m. – Rain Barrels – Cookie Peadon
11:30 a.m. – Fall Containers: Edible & Beautiful – Barbara Gollman

School Garden Scofield Christian School, 7730 Abrams Road, Dallas, TX 75231
9:30 a.m. – Fall Containers: Edible & Beautiful – Barbara Gollman
10:30 a.m. – Composting – John Hunt
11:30 a.m. – Gardening on a Shoestring: Confessions of a Frugal Gardener – Fran Powell

For more information, visit their website: http://savedallaswater.com/wwlt/

Great Communities to Put Down Roots

There’s a growing legion of homebuyers out there who don’t dream of a home on the 16^th green—they dream of living next to a field of green, as in corn.  In response, savvy developers around the country are planning and building communities known as “agrihoods;” in simple terms, communities built around urban farms.

Officially described as a “planned development combining clustered houses and broad natural landscapes with farm-to-table living, agrihoods typically include community-supported agriculture (CSA) pickup points, community kitchens, and even schools, as well as miles of walking trails—all places for people to meet naturally and share experiences.

Homebuilders are increasingly looking to farm-centered communities as a way to draw in residents, according to a MarketWatch report.

In these developments, farms aren't razed to make way for housing, but instead are incorporated into neighborhoods, allowing residents to raise farm animals, grow food, reconnect with nature and be a part of a community.

Houses built in these farm environments come at a premium, however, due to the lower density of homes and the sustainable features that homebuilders often include as standard.

Ed McMahon of the Urban Living Institute, a Washington, D.C.–based thought leader on housing and land use, says that developments that preserve natural areas have been around since the 1960s.

A nationwide trend,  Harvest, a Hillwood community in Argyle, Texas and Harvest Green in Houston are two such agrihoods that have sprouted up in the Southwest. 

Read more of the Market Watch Report here: 

What’s Hot? Real Estate in DFW!

Dallas Housing Market Remains Strong

The DFW real estate market is sizzling this summer.  A recent market report from Residential Strategies says home closings for 2017 thus far have increased 11.5% compared with the same four quarter period a year ago.  The median home price in the DFW metro area is $344,094.

Over the 12-month period ending April 2017, Dallas area house prices were up 8.41%, a boon for sellers.  However, price inflation continues to be a challenge for DFW homebuyers.  Households looking for inexpensive entry level homes (under $200K) have fewer options.

Also cited in the report, the Texas Workforce Commission reports a net job growth rate of 3.31% for the 12 month period ended May, 2017. Over the past 7 years, there have been 676,600 net new jobs created in North Texas, an increase of 23.0% in the area job base.

The price of that growth:  congested traffic, throngs packing restaurants and grocery stores, and crowded school classrooms in the burgeoning suburbs.

Road Diets Move Traffic, Reduce Speeds and Crashes

In the Metroplex, we seem to perpetually experience road construction to expand and extend roads to handle more traffic.  Simply adding more lanes sometimes sacrifices safety in the attempt to speed up the flow of traffic.  Other alternatives are often more effective in residential or mixed use areas.  

Maybe you've seen a "Road Diet" in use, even if you're not familiar with the term  Learn more about its benefits. 

The strategy, known as a “road diet,” calls for restriping a stretch of road to remove at least one lane and turning that pavement over for other purposes. it a cheap way to reduce vehicle collisions and make roads more bike and pedestrian friendly.

FHA studies of road diet projects have found simply reducing the number of lanes dedicated to cars cuts vehicle crashes by 19 to 52 percent as a result of reduced speeds and fewer opportunities for collisions. And perhaps most surprisingly, according to the FHA, the technique doesn’t reduce the number of people who can move along a roadway.

A roadway reconfiguration known as a Road Diet offers several high-value improvements at a low cost when applied to traditional four-lane undivided highways. In addition to low cost, the primary benefits of a Road Diet include enhanced safety, mobility and access for all road users and a "complete streets" environment to accommodate a variety of transportation modes.

A classic Road Diet typically involves converting an existing four-lane, undivided roadway segment to a three-lane segment consisting of two through lanes and a center, two-way left-turn lane.


The resulting benefits include a crash reduction of 19 to 47 percent, reduced vehicle speed differential, improved mobility and access by all road users, and integration of the roadway into surrounding uses that results in an enhanced quality of life. A key feature of a Road Diet is that it allows reclaimed space to be allocated for other uses, such as turn lanes, bus lanes, pedestrian refuge islands, bike lanes, sidewalks, bus shelters, parking or landscaping.

Tips for Saving on Homeowners and Renters Insurance

Whether you own or rent your home, insurance is essential to protect your property and household goods. Comparison shopping for the best rates will certainly save you some money, but you also can save by following these tips:

·         Choose a higher deductible—increasing your deductible by just a few hundred dollars can make a big difference in your insurance premium.

·         Ask your insurance agent about discounts. Dead bolts, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, security systems, storm shutters and fire-retardant roofing material are just some of the home safety features that can often lower your rate. You also may be able to get a lower premium if you are a long-term customer or if you bundle other coverage, such as auto insurance, with your provider. Some companies also offer senior discounts for customers who are older than 55 years.

·         Don’t include the value of the land when you are deciding how much coverage to buy. If you insure your house, but not the land under it, you can avoid paying more than you should. Even after a disaster, the land will still be there.

·         If you’re a renter, don’t assume your landlord carries insurance on your personal belongings. She or he likely doesn’t. Purchase a separate renters’ policy to be sure your property—like furniture, electronics, clothing and other personal items—is covered.

Don’t wait until you have a loss to find out whether you have the right type and amount of insurance. For example, many policies require you to pay extra for coverage for high-ticket items like computers, cameras, jewelry, art, antiques, musical instruments, and stamp and coin collections.

Furthermore, not all coverage will replace fully what is insured. An “actual-cash-value” policy will save you money on premiums, but it only pays what your property is worth at the time of loss (your cost minus depreciation for age and wear). “Replacement” coverage gives you the money to rebuild your home and replace its contents.

Finally, a standard homeowners’ policy does not cover flood and earthquake damage. The cost of a separate earthquake policy depends on the likelihood of earthquakes in your area.

Is Texas Losing Its Affordability Advantage?

Recent articles by Dallas Morning News real estate editor Steve Brown shows the skyrocketing price of real estate in the Metroplex.

“Keeping a roof over your head in North Texas has never cost so much before.

Home purchase prices in North Texas were already at record highs last year. For the first two months of 2017, median house sales prices in D-FW have increased another 14 percent compared to the same period last year.

D-FW median home prices in February were $203,400 – higher than the $195,700 nationwide median price, according to the most recent data from Zillow.

The rising cost of housing in D-FW and other Texas markets isn’t just a burden for residents. The rapid rise in home and apartment costs is also causing concern for economists who track moves to the state and business expansion.

The increases in home costs are cutting into the Lone Star State’s traditional cost of living advantages with relocating businesses, a recent report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ warns. 

The increases in home costs are cutting into the Lone Star State’s traditional cost of living advantages with relocating businesses, a recent report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ warns.

“Since the housing recovery began in 2011, Texas has seen unprecedented home price appreciation with home price gains here outpacing those nationally,” Dallas Fed economist Laila Assanie said in the report. “This run-up in home prices is unusual for Texas, where construction tends to respond quickly to an increase in demand because of the state’s vast supply of flat land and relatively few building regulations versus other large states.”

The Fed research points out that while Texas’ housing costs have jumped 34 percent in the five years ending with 2015, incomes in the same period rose only 14 percent.

“Declining housing affordability in the state has eroded the cost-of-living advantage, calling into question whether Texas can maintain its long-term economic and population growth that has often led the nation,” Assanie said. 

Read or subscribe to Steve Brown’s newsletter to keeptrack of local real estate news.

Texas Cultivates Spectacular Wildflower Displays

More than 5,000 species of flowering plants are native to the Lone Star State. Many of these beautiful wildflowers can be seen blooming along Texas roadways. 

To help maintain more than 800,000 acres of highway right-of-way across the state, the Texas Department of Transportation buys and sows nearly 30,000 pounds of wildflower seed each year. In addition to making our highways look great, the flowers help reduce maintenance and labor costs by encouraging the growth of native species that need less mowing and care. The native grasses and flowers also help to conserve water!

Prime Times & Places

According to Texas Highways magazine March, April and May are prime blooming months in Texas. Dogwood festivals in Woodville and Palestine celebrate the season with special events usually held on the last two weekends in March and the first weekend in April. Bluebonnets, too, are in their glory all during April. One of the oldest bluebonnet trails is in Ennis, featuring more than 40 miles of well-marked routes. Trails in Washington County are charted from Brenham and Chappell Hill, while La Grange offers bluebonnet trails in Fayette County. Farther west, the Highland Lakes Bluebonnet Trail loops through the scenic Hill Country, usually on the first two weekends in April. In Northeast Texas, a signed wildflower route on the last full weekend in April showcases dozens of beautiful wild species between the towns of Avinger, Hughes Springs and Linden. A floral treat in mid-March is the Houston Azalea Trail, when the cultivated, manicured gardens of some of the city’s prestigious homes are open to the public. 

 http://www.texashighways.com/wildflowers

Here's a guide to help you identify some common Texas wildflowers.

http://takecareoftexas.org/hot-wire/identify-common-texas-wildflowers

Led by Dallas-Ft Worth, Texas Sets New Housing Records in 2016

Texas home sales hit record levels last year for both prices and the number of properties purchased.  It was the second year in a row that the Lone Star State's housing market reached an all-time high, according to a report by the Texas Association of Realtors.  "Strong gains in end-of-year home sales activity were a key factor in making 2016 another record year for Texas real estate," said Vicki Fullerton, chairman of the Texas Association of Realtors. "Last year's record home sales activity was fueled by the momentum of multiple years' strong job and population growth across the state, despite the fact that Texas job and economic growth began to slow in 2016."  

Real estate agents sold 323,607 homes in the state last year — an increase of 4.4 percent from 2015, the Austin-based real estate trade group reports. Median sales prices rose 7.6 percent to a record $210,000.  The Dallas-Fort Worth area had even bigger home market gains in 2016.  Home sales in D-FW totaled almost 98,000, up about 5 percent from 2015. More houses were sold in the area than in any of Texas' other largest metro areas.  Houston was second with 80,604 home sales — 2.4 percent more than in 2015. Sales in Austin rose 4 percent, and they were 9.2 percent higher in the San Antonio area.  

North Texas also has the tightest home market, with just a 1.8-month supply of houses listed for sale with real estate agents. That's well below the statewide inventory of 3.3 months at the end of 2016.


Dallas Morning News, February 22, 2017

Learn How to Save Water & Money in your Yard

Warm winter days have homeowners thinking about getting their yards in shape.  Take advantage of these free seminars sponsored by Dallas Water Utilities Conservation and Mountain View College on February 18. Be inspired to try water-wise landscaping and introduce native plants in your landscape.

Landscape designer and author Bonnie Reese will be the speaker at both sessions. Ms. Reese has more than 20 years experience designing, installing and maintaining landscapes in North Texas and is the owner of her own landscape design and consulting company - Beautiful Landscapes (BeautifulLandscapes.net). First-time seminar attendees at each session will receive a copy of Bonnie’s book, “Common-Sense Landscaping” (limit one per household). Attendees can also enter a drawing to win a bag of Green Sense organic fertilizer from Rohde’s Nursery & Nature Store (BeOrganic.com). There will be 3 drawings per session.

Water-Wise Landscape Design 101

9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Whether you have a new landscape or plan to update an existing area, it is critical to begin with a good design. This program teaches the principles of landscape design with an emphasis on how to create a beautiful landscape that will save resources - natural and financial!

Fantastic Plants for North Texas

1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Using colorful photographs, Bonnie demonstrates the natural beauty of native and adapted plants that thrive in the North Texas region. Learn when, where and how to plant each of the recommended plants, their size and height at maturity, seasonal color, texture and more. This program provides information on trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, groundcovers and turf grasses.

Making a Reservation

Space is limited, please register online at SaveDallasWater.com or by calling (214) 670-3155. Let us know which seminar(s) you would like to attend, and how many will be attending in your group.

Attend one or both of our no-cost seminars Saturday, February 18, at the Performance Hall (Building “E”) at Mountain View College, 4849 W. Illinois Avenue, Dallas 75211. Click here for directions and a list of nearby restaurants.

Seminars sponsored by Dallas Water Utilities Conservation and Mountain View College.

Protect Yourself from Package Theft

Package theft, also known as "front porch shopping", rises during the holiday season. If you are shipping any gifts this month, below are some package protection tips:

• Skip the surprise: inform the receiver you are sending the package, and send it to a location where s/he will be on-hand to sign for it. The goal is to make sure the package isn't unattended for a significant length of time.
• Consider going one step further and asking the receiver to pick the package up at a shipping facility.
• Track your shipments online to confirm delivery and/or require signature for receipt.
• When you send the package, ship it from the facility rather than leaving it outside your home for pickup.
• Insure valuable items.
• Watch for vehicles following delivery vans in your village. Some thieves track shipment drivers from house to house.

This post courtesy of the Communications Team at Stonebridge Ranch Community Association.

Dallas Market Ranked #1 in Real Estate Sales

Supply and Demand Drive Home Costs in North Texas

The Dallas Morning News has reported that DFW home prices have risen more than 40 percent in the last four years.  The median price of a new house sold in DFW in 3QA 2016  rose to $336,381.  Labor shortages have added more than $4,00 to the price of a new house due to delays in construction, shortages of skilled labor and higher costs for materials.

Prices for pre-owned homes in North Texas were up 12 percent in September, the biggest yearover year gain in 2016.  Among other statistics tracked by realtors, it took less than 40 days on the market to sell a house.  A chief economist with the Real Estate Center said new listings enter the MLM as pending sales rather than active listings.

A recent report by the Urban Land Institute (ULI) ranked Dallas as the #1 real estate market in the U.S.  in 2016.

Take Advantage of Community Matching Grants to Spruce Up your Neighborhood!

Metro area neighborhoods are finding extra funds to do beautification and environmental projects by tapping grants made by a number of city governments and entities across the Metroplex.

Community workday at Cambridge Place at Russell Creek HOA

A case in point is Cambridge Place at Russell Creek HOA. The HOA is the recipient of a matching $10,000 Neighborhood Vitality and Beautification Grant from the City of Plano. Their project improved a former playground area that backs up to the public walking trail and that is adjacent to the neighborhood pool. To read about the neighborhood project, see the CMA website.  A photo album of the community workday can be viewed here.

Beautiful, sustainable communities improve property values and enrich the quality of life for the residents.  Many homeowners volunteer and invest "sweat equity" in projects to reap the benefits for everyone in the neighborhood to enjoy.

The Plano program began in 2014.  Read more information and matching grant guidelines for the program.  View a description of the HOA's award-winning project with photos.

Matching grant programs, such as that in the city of Plano, are offered in other communities as well. A partial listing is shown below, gleaned from municipal websites which publicize grants for neighborhood groups.  Please contact your local city or other organizations to verify if the information is current and learn if programs are available to your community.

City of McKinney—Public parks and open space improvement projects are available through the McKinney Community Development Corporation.

City of Carrollton-- Neighborhood Enhancement Matching Grantprogram

City of Denton--  Keep Denton Beautiful Neighborhood Beautification Grants

City of Rowlett—Neighborhood Beautification Grants

City of Dallas/city of Irving –Tree planting programs

City of Richardson—Neighborhood Vitality Program

City of Cedar Hill --  Neighborhood Matching Grant Program 

Garland—Neighborhood Vitality Grant Program

Desoto -- Neighborhood Grant Program   

Keep Texas Beautiful

Why not take the lead to uncover free funds to do projects that will make your neighborhood an even better places to live? 

Tips to be a Good Neighbor

Being a Good Neighbor

These are a few basic etiquette rules to be a good neighbor.  The ultimate goal is to live in peace and harmony, and even though that’s not always possible, you can at least do whatever it takes to prevent hostilities and long-lasting hard feelings.

Follow the Golden Rule to be a good neighbor. These are people you are likely to see everyday, or at least fairly often. You don’t want to have to lower your head in shame after you know you’ve misbehaved.

• Observe and respect your neighbor’s personal space.
• Try not to borrow anything, but if you must, return the item immediately after using it. If you break the item, pay to fix it or replace it.
• Don’t be the neighborhood gossip. That’s just rude and will eventually come back to bite you.
• If you have an issue with a neighbor, go directly to that person and discuss it in an adult manner. Don’t call the cops unless you are threatened.
• Not everyone is a dog or cat lover, so show responsibility for your pets. That includes keeping them off the neighbor’s lawn and picking up after them.
• Remember your neighbors during the holidays with a card or small homemade gift.
• If your neighborhood has a homeowner’s association, know the rules and follow them. 

Source:  http://etiquette.about.com

Is there a school zone in your neighborhood?

It's a good time to be reminded of school zone laws and courtesies to keep our children safe.  The end of summer means millions of Texas children will soon return to school. TxDOT reminds drivers to be extra cautious as school zones become more active and be aware of school bus safety.

Last year, 663 vehicle crashes occurred in school zones in Texas, resulting in zero deaths and 21 serious injuries. August and September of 2014 alone saw 107 crashes in school zones. The most common factors contributing to these crashes were driver inattention, failure to control speed and failure to yield the right of way at stop signs.

Following these simple tips can help Texas children reach school safely and help drivers avoid costly fines and tickets.

Tips for Driving in School Zones

• Put away your cell phone. Cell phone use is banned in active school zones, and violators face fines of up to $200 in school zones where signs are posted.
• Always obey school zone speed limit signs. Remember, traffic fines usually double in school zones.
• Drop off and pick up your children in your school’s designated areas, not the middle of the street.
• Keep an eye on children gathered at bus stops.
• Be alert for children who might dart across the street or between vehicles on their way to school.

This information and more about school safety can be found on the TXDOT website.   http://www.txdot.gov/driver/kids-teens/school.html

School Yourself for a Sustainable Home and Environment!

Sighing with relief to send the kids back to school soon?  Time to think about how to spend that free time with educational opportunities offered for homeowners by several municipalities. Sustainable living is the theme for many of the educational events in the fall curriculum.

For example,  the city of Plano offers residents free workshops on how to increase your home's energy efficiency.  Another workshop features how-tos. for for the not-so-handy. Learn how to:  

• Use a caulk gun
• Install weatherstripping
• Repair a leaky duct
• Use outlet insulators
• install a door sweep

Visit the Plano website for the August dates and times.

September brings the Autumn Landscape education series in the city of Allen. Edible Landscaping and How to Make a Rain Barrel are two of the classes being offered.  There is a fee for materials for the rain barrel class.  Check out the details here. 

The fall also brings a line-up of "green" events and seminars for McKinney residents. Scheduled  in September and October, featured topics include composting and picking up litter.  Register online and view the full line-up of these events on the city of McKinney website.